The invention relates to a novel process for the preparation of chiral 2-(4-aminophenyl) morpholines of the formula

wherein R1 is hydrogen an amino protecting group.
The chiral 2-(4-aminophenyl) morpholines of the formula I are key intermediates for the preparation of compounds that have a good affinity to the trace amine associated receptors (TAARs), especially for TAAR1 as for instance outlined in PCT Publications WO 2012/016879 and WO 2012/126922.
The invention therefore further relates to the use of the process of the present invention in a process for the preparation (i) of compounds of the formula

wherein:                R2 is aryl or heteroaryl, wherein the aromatic rings are        
optionally substituted by one or two substituents, selected from C1-7-alkyl, halogen, CF3, OCF3, OCH2CF3, C1-7-alkoxy or cyano;
or a pharmaceutically suitable acid addition salts thereof; or,
and (ii) for the preparation of compounds of the formula

wherein:                R2 is aryl or heteroaryl, wherein the aromatic rings are        
optionally substituted by one or two substituents, selected from C1-7-alkyl, halogen, CF3, OCF3, OCH2CF3, C1-7-alkoxy or cyano;
or pharmaceutically suitable acid addition salts thereof.
The object of the present invention was to find a process which is able to be performed on technical scale.